Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas
In July, many daycare centers and kindergartens start Tanabata celebrations and pool time.
Summer is full of events kids can enjoy, like beach trips and fireworks festivals.
Here, we’re introducing craft ideas to make summer even more fun.
You can create summer-themed projects related to Tanabata, seasonal flowers, sea creatures, and cool treats.
Use these ideas as a guide to enjoy crafting with the children and spend the hot summer happily and energetically!
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Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas (101–110)
origami shaved ice
Let’s make shaved ice, a beloved symbol of summer for kids, using origami! After you finish, it’s also fun to play pretend summer festival.
You’ll need two sheets of origami paper: one for the ice and one for the cup.
The folding itself is simple, so children should be able to handle it.
There is a step that uses scissors, so depending on your child’s age, you can let them try it or have a teacher or guardian help.
By changing the color of the origami, you can enjoy different “flavors” like strawberry, lemon, or Blue Hawaii.
Morning glories made with dyed paper
One of the things to look forward to as summer approaches is the morning glory.
Let’s use brightly colored dyed paper to express these flowers! First, cut a circle from washi paper, fold it, and dab paint onto the top so it soaks in; once it’s dry, unfold it.
Next, make leaves, vines, and a pot from construction paper and combine them with your dyed-paper morning glories.
If you use washi that absorbs paint well, you can beautifully recreate morning glories in soft, pale tones.
Coloring only the outer edges of the petals will make them look even more realistic.
You’ll end up with a summery piece that highlights each child’s individuality.
Be sure to include this in your summer craft ideas!
Sea and Fish Bubble Art
Let’s try bubbly bubble art that’s full of fizzing fun! Pour some paint and bubble solution into a shallow dish and mix them together.
Once mixed, use a straw to gently blow air into the mixture to make it foam.
Watching the bubbles grow bigger and bigger is sure to get kids excited! After it’s nice and foamy, lightly place a sheet of drawing paper on top—and you’ve got a magical artwork.
It’s a delightful technique that sparks children’s curiosity.
It would be fun to try mixing different colors, too! Be sure to supervise carefully so kids don’t accidentally suck the liquid up through the straw, and keep safety in mind as they work.
Sparkling Tanabata Decorations Made from Paper Plates
Here’s an idea for a Tanabata decoration you can make with paper plates—perfect for July’s Tanabata event.
Cut out the center of a paper plate and punch a hole at the top.
Next, cut origami paper into star shapes, attach pipe cleaners, and thread them through the hole in the plate.
Finish by decorating the rim of the plate, and it’s done! Have the children decorate the plate with cutouts from construction paper in their favorite shapes or with stickers.
Besides stars, designing Orihime and Hikoboshi or adding metallic tape or raffia ribbon will make the decoration even more festive!
Drawing an ‘ocean’ with colored ice
Let’s take a peek into an underwater world using refreshing ice paints.
To make ice paint, place your favorite paints or food coloring into each section of an ice tray, add water on top, and mix.
Insert a stick to make a handle, then put it in the freezer until it freezes.
While the ice paint is freezing, draw sea creatures on white drawing paper using a white crayon.
Once the ice paint is ready, brush the colors over the paper with your drawing.
The areas you drew will repel the ice paint, and your picture will magically appear.
If the teachers at a daycare or kindergarten draw the pictures and let the children do the coloring, even very young kids can enjoy this activity with ease!
Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas (111–120)
Goldfish scooping
You can even make a classic summer festival game—goldfish scooping—by hand! All you need are everyday items like a milk carton, vinyl tape, and PE tape.
First, make a “poi” scoop using a ring-shaped strip cut from a milk carton and a drain strainer net.
It’s safer for the teacher to handle the cutting and stapling.
Wrap the vinyl tape around the scoop you made.
For the goldfish, cut the milk carton into an egg shape, draw goldfish-like patterns, and attach PE tape as the tail with tape—that’s it! These goldfish actually float on water, so it feels more realistic.
Hope you catch lots of goldfish!
fishing
Enjoy a fishing game at your homemade summer festival.
First, prepare sea creatures like fish and octopuses to catch.
You can use free illustration materials, or have the children draw them for extra fun.
Laminating the pieces you make will make them water-resistant and safe.
If you don’t have a laminator, use laminating film from the 100-yen shop.
Attach a paper clip to each piece, then fasten string and a magnet to a pair of chopsticks—and you’re done! Catching the fish is fun, but playing the shopkeeper and serving customers adds a different kind of enjoyment.
Have everyone make lots of pieces together!